This invention relates to stethoscope holders. More particularly, it refers to a stethoscope holder generally mounted on the belt of a health provider and having a slotted front opening for receipt of a stethoscope chest piece as well as longitudinal bores for receipt of the stethoscope ear pieces.
A stethoscope is an important medical instrument carried by most care givers at some time during their days"" medical activities. Frequently, the stethoscope is stuck in a pocket of a medical coat where it occupies space needed frequently for other medical devices. Clip-on devices for carrying the stethoscope on a belt have been devised such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des 425,353. Unfortunately, the ear pieces on the stethoscope are not retained in a fixed position in this device and they have a tendency to flip out. Another prior art stethoscope holder is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,563, but this holder merely drapes the tubes from the stethoscope in a belt clip. This causes the chest piece and ear pieces to bounce when carried by a care giver. An improved stethoscope belt holder is needed which securely mounts the chest piece and ear pieces, but still permits ready access for use with patients by the care giver.
The belt mounted stethoscope holder of this invention provides ready access to the stethoscope by being mounted on the care giver""s belt, but at the same time, is securely fastened out of the way and outside a care giver""s pocket. The stethoscope holder is an integral housing with a combined belt adapter hingedly moving on a rod mounted on a top rear portion of the integral housing. The integral housing has a rear wall and a pair of side walls with ear piece receptacles mounted in a top portion of each side wall. A pair of front walls are spaced apart from each other to form a slot and spaced apart from the back wall to form an opening for receipt of a stethoscope chest piece. An opening at a bottom of the slot accommodates a stethoscope tube.